Saint Francis names Benzel co-defensive coordinator
NCAA Football Betting Lines
02/16/2012 - Loretto, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Former Robert Morris assistant football coach Scott Benzel was named co-defensive coordinator and assistant head coach at Saint Francis on Thursday.
Benzel has spent the last nine seasons at Robert Morris, including the last three as co-defensive coordinator and seven as assistant recruiting coordinator. The Colonials' 2010 squad became the first in Northeast Conference history to qualify for the FCS playoffs.
"We are very proud and happy to add Scott to our staff," Saint Francis head coach Chris Villarrial said. "When you can add a great coach to your staff, you are always happy, but when you can add a coach who has helped a team win the Northeast Conference and know what it takes to reach the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs, you are thrilled."
Saint Francis ranked third-to-last in the FCS in scoring defense - at 44.1 points per game - this past season. The Red Flashes went 2-9 and have not finished with a winning record since 1992.
Bogota, Colombia (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Top-seeded Marina Erakovic of New Zealand and 2009 runner-up Gisela Dulko were a pair of second-round upset victims Thursday at the $220,000 Copa BBVA Colsanitas tennis tournament. Romanian Edi
<< United tops Ajax in Europa League
Amsterdam, Netherlands (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ashley Young and Javier Hernandez
scored in the second half as Manchester United opened its Europa League round
of 32 series against Ajax with a 2-0 win Thursday.
With a combined seven European t
<< Stepanek ousted in San Jose
San Jose, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Former champion Radek Stepanek was a
second-round upset victim Thursday at the $531,000 SAP Open.
Belgian Steve Darcis bounced the fourth-seeded Czech 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-2)
on the hardcourts at HP Pavilion.
<< Red Wings' Cleary placed on IR
Detroit, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Detroit Red Wings placed forward Dan
Cleary on injured reserve, retroactive to February 8, on Thursday.
Cleary has been out since then after re-aggravating an existing knee injury.
In 55 games th
<< Timbers sign Cameroonian midfielder Songo'o
Portland, OR (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Portland Timbers signed Cameroonian Franck
Songo'o, a former Barcelona youth player, on Thursday.
The 24-year-old Songo'o, capped one time by Cameroon, left Barca in 2005 and
began his pro career in the
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - U.S. national team striker Eddie Johnson will return to MLS this season, it was revealed Thursday. It will take one more day to determine which team he will play for, however. The 27-year-old Johnson, who le
Berdych, del Potro land in Rotterdam quarters >>
Rotterdam, Netherlands (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Former Wimbledon runner-up
Tomas Berdych and former U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro reached the
quarterfinals at the $1.6 million ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament.
The second-seeded Ber
Oilers, Ducks swap players >>
Edmonton, AB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Edmonton Oilers acquired defenseman Bryan
Rodney from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for center Ryan O'Marra.
The 27-year-old Rodney has five goals and 15 assists in 41 games with the
Syracuse Crunch
Creative Cause heads San Vicente Stakes >>
Arcadia, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Creative Cause, third in last year's Breeders'
Cup Juvenile, heads a field of six in Sunday's $150,000 San Vicente Stakes for
three-year-olds at Santa Anita Park. The seven-furlong sprint marks the 2012
debut f
Broncos sign WR Hill >>
Englewood, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Denver Broncos on Thursday signed free-
agent wide receiver Jason Hill.
Hill recorded a career-best 367 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 25
catches last season with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
MySportsbook.com and Kentucky Derby Offer Bonuses
The 2008 Kentucky Derby has announced a $1-million bonus for this weekend’s 134th ‘Run for the Roses’ and MySportsbook.com is doing the same.
Well, not quite $1 million, but MySportsbook.com is offering a 75% rebate for Kentucky Derby lines. Check out the exclusive horse racing bonus for all the details.
According to MySportsbook.com, the favorites for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky are: Curlin (+250); Street Sense (+500); Scat Daddy (+700); Circular Quay (+750); and Nobiz Like Shobiz (+800).
Derby organizers announced this week that there will be a $1-million bonus at the 2007 Kentucky Derby odds if the first-place horse wins by more than 6 1/2 lengths – the margin of Barbaro's victory last year. The bonus would be divided Saturday among the winning trainer, jockey, owner and a charity, with each receiving 25 percent. The designated charity is the Barbaro Memorial Fund.
''It's certainly creative, it's certainly fun and it has something for the horsemen, which we always want to embrace,'' Churchill Downs president and chief executive Robert Evans said at a news conference. ''What's really cool is it will force us to remember Barbaro.''
Meanwhile, the Derby favorite – Curlin – is going against the odds this year. It's been 125 years since Apollo won after skipping his 2-year-old season, and not since Regret in 1915 has such a lightly seasoned horse worn the blanket of red roses.
Arkansas Derby winner Curlin – unbeaten in three career races – tries to overcome both those obstacles in Saturday's 133rd Derby.
''We're not running against history,'' trainer Steve Asmussen said Monday. ''We're running against who they load up.''
Six other horses have run in the Derby without benefit of 2-year-old races and with three or fewer starts. The best any of them managed was a sixth-place finish by Showing Up last year.
Asmussen dismissed suggestions that Curlin's lack of racing experience could keep him from the winner's circle.
”He exudes confidence and he's got a great presence about him,'' the trainer said. ''I feel great about the position we're in. He's not worried about anything, why should you be?''
The Kentucky Derby is at 4:04 p.m., ET Saturday.
For complete odds on the Kentucky Derby, visit MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.